A religious approach to marriage is the idea that if we work hard enough at something, we can earn the acceptance, approval, and life we think we deserve because of our obedient performance.

Here's one way I can know that I've forgotten the gospel of grace: when your sin bothers me more than my sin.

I ended up dropping out of high school at 16 and getting kicked out of my home. My parents told me, sadly, that because I was so disruptive to the rest of the household, that I could no longer live under their roof.

Legalism breeds a sense of entitlement that turns us into complainers.

Nothing makes me want to obey more than knowing that God unconditionally loves me and forgives me even when I disobey.

When we depend on anything smaller than God to provide us with the security, significance, meaning, and value that we long for, God will love us enough to take it away. Much of our anger and bitterness, therefore, is God prying open our hands and taking away something we've held onto more tightly than him.

Because of Jesus the sin we cannot forget God does not remember.